


Apple pancakes

by Prettygirlgraves



Series: Regalbeliever Oneshots [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluffy fic, Oneshot, happy endings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-25
Updated: 2015-10-25
Packaged: 2018-04-27 19:35:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5061292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Prettygirlgraves/pseuds/Prettygirlgraves
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A quick one-shot between Regina and Henry, set after Robin Hood has left Storybrooke. Mainly mother/son fluff and Henry comforting her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Apple pancakes

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys, this is just a one-off short Regina/Henry fic I wrote today. My big fic, 'Waiting for the train,' was depressing me whilst I was writing it, so I wrote this on the side, as a cute scene. Contains a little bit of upset Regina, but some nice comforting from Henry! 
> 
> Hope you guys like it. Comments and feedback would be greatly appreciated! Let me know if you think I should write anymore of this!

It was 7.30am. His mom should have been up an hour ago, but he didn't want to wake her. The past few weeks without Robin had taken it's toll on her. All she had been doing was constantly poring through his story book, intently searching for something, or someone that could give her the happy ending that she so desperately craved.

It was always on her mind, but she didn't seem to be getting anywhere. Each time he looked in on her, she was flicking through the book with her scary face, angry at not yet having any results. 

He knew she would be upset for oversleeping this long, but the bags under her eyes had only become more prominent as the days went by and Henry was worried. She looked as if she hadn't been eating much or sleeping at all. He had to coax her into leaving her office for any meals at the weekend. The only reason she ate was if he asked her for something for tea. Other than that he suspected she had been missing meals due to her pursuit. 

He often heard her pacing about her room in the middle of the night, worrying about one thing or another, be couldn't be sure. She didn't share much with him, only what was necessary. He could see that there was more but he didn't want to push her. He knew that no good would come of it. Her constant pursuit for happiness left her seemingly lacking of exactly that: happiness. 

After deliberating for some time outside her bedroom door, the boy decided to wake her up at this point. He definitely didn't want her frantically trying to get ready to take him to school or to hurt herself making his breakfast too fast she burnt herself on the appliances. She had already clumsily dropped a glass or two in the past two weeks. They had shattered to the floor impressively. He saw how her eyes teared up when he offered to help. It was if couldn't quite believe he was already 12 years old, (Quite capable of walking to school on his own,) Henry thought but he didn't want to upset her further by saying this.

'Mom?' Henry called hesitantly, knocking lightly on her bedroom door with his familiar pattern. 

He heard a rustle of sheets and duvets as his mother awoke. 

'Come in,' the brunette said huskily, raising her voice slightly to allow the him to hear her. 

He opened the door slightly to reveal his mother, curled up in a disheveled heap in the middle of her large double bed, in the darkness of her room. The curtains were pulled closed tightly, blocking out the light. She looked awfully small and tired; her hair was stuck up in soft, deep brown clumps.

'Mom, are you okay?' Henry asked, his voice wobbling slightly. 

'I'm fine Henry,' the brunette replied firmly, a small smile on her face as she tried to comfort the boy. 'I'm sorry did I oversleep?' She inquired, her face puzzled. Only looking at the clock injected a flash of panic in her eyes.

'Oh Henry I'm so sorry, why didn't you wake me earlier?' She said anxiously, combing her hair with her fingers as she slipped out of bed as quickly and as gracefully as possible.

'Its okay mom,' the boy answered reassuringly, giving his mom a loving, but worried smile. 'I can buy some breakfast on the way at Grannies. You don't have to get up.'

'Oh don't be silly Henry, I'm going to make you breakfast like I do everyday,' his mother said unshakeably. She swished her hair back over her shoulders as she walked towards him in a queen like way- one thing she had always had, and never would lose. 

She ruffled his thick brown hair as she came up to him, still wearing her blue silk pyjamas. When she leaned in and pressed a small kiss on his forehead, he inhaled her scent. She smelt like mom which was like sweet apples and that thing that you can't quite put your finger on but you know it's her and it's comforting because you know that it means love and home.

She gave him a steady smile as she walked past him and down the stairs to the kitchen in that graceful manner of hers, but also with a softness and a kindness present on her face, that only a mother possessed. 

He followed her, already dressed and ready for school but not willing to deprive her of that feeling she got when she knew she had made him happy by making his favourite breakfast.

Sometimes he thought she hadn't quite realised how old he had actually got. She still called him her 'Little Prince,' from time to time but he didn't mind because he knew it made her happy and that was all he really wanted. The fact that it made her happy, made him happy. It reminded him of his childhood, before the book, before it had all crumbled when he had accused her of not loving him, of being evil. How things had changed, but for the better, Henry wasn't sure. 

'Now what would you like for breakfast?' She asked, plastering a cheery smile onto her obviously exhausted features. 

'Whatever you're having,' he replied, attempting to grin back at her but still feeling an aching worry at his mothers obvious tiredness. 

'You don't want apple porridge really Henry,' she replied with a slight chuckle. 'Come on, I'll make you anything. Apple pancakes?' She suggested.

'Don't bother yourself mom,' he insisted. 'Go back to bed. You're tired. You need rest.'

She flinched at his words; she always had walls built up around her, so high that she hardly ever let him see. 

'No Henry, I'm your mother I'm going to make you breakfast,' she said firmly. 'Or would you like me to call your other mother and have her make it for you?' She added, a small cheeky smile now playing on her lips.

'On second thoughts...' Henry replied, smiling at her reference to Emma's atrocious cooking skills.

'I thought so,' she said. 'Now what would you like? And be quick choosing, you have to be at school in 30 minutes. Although that is my fault, I'm sorry,' she replied sadly, looking down at the counter, seemingly interested in the flecks of stone and glass that lay inside it. 

'I'd love apple pancakes,' Henry said, hoping his smile was reassuring enough to please her.

'Okay,' she said brusquely and began to assemble the batter quickly, and with an expertise only an experienced chef could manage. Well she'd had 28 years to practice, Henry murmured to himself. 

He slid onto a chair at the table, watching his mother as she began to fry the pancakes, one by one in the pan, a mask of concentration on her face. 

'You know, I could ask Mary Margaret to cover for you today,' he suggested gently, watching her face harden at his offer as she continued to flip the pancakes in the pan. 

'Now why would I need Mary Margaret to cover for me?' She asked, a little strain present in her voice. 

'Youre tired, Mom. You've barely been sleeping,' he finally let out, exasperated. He couldn't help himself, once he'd started it all flowed out at once. 'You've been so busy trying to find the author, you haven't been taking care of yourself. You don't sleep, you don't eat much either. Mom, I'm worried.'

'Henry I'm perfectly fine,' she answered. She was using her polite, mayoral tone with him, as if to suggest the conversation was already over. 

'Dont lie to me, I'm not a little boy anymore,' he said, staring directly at her despite the fact that she was avoiding his gaze, her deep brown eyes staring intently at the frying pan. 

'You're still my little boy,' she mumbled softly as she picked up the last pancake and dropped it on a small pile. She drizzled it with homemade apple syrup and handed them to him, still looking down, avoiding her son's intent gaze.

'That's not the point mom, he persisted, everyone can see you're not looking after yourself.'

'What have people been saying?' She replied quickly, her deep voice growling slightly, which reminded him a little of her in the days as the Evil Queen. But the eyes that flicked down to Henry's, were filled only with worry, not evil.

'Nothing mom,' he answered slowly, trying to calm his distressed mother. The loving smile he loved so much was replaced with anxious frown lines as she waited for him to elaborate, her hand lightly pressed on her hip. 

'Was it Emma?' She asked with a strained sigh. 'That blonde never knows when to stop pushing her nose in,' she said with frustration.

'She might have mentioned something,' Henry replied casually, slowly cutting into his pile of apple pancakes. 

'Well anyway, I'm fine,' she repeated, busily cleaning the worktops to match the already sparkling quality of the rest of their home. 

'Mom,' Henry said quietly, his voice wobbling as he watched her move slowly around the kitchen.

She turned at his speech, her eyes filled with such sadness he couldn't quite comprehend it. He knew there was much more she was hiding in the dark depths of her mind. 

'Henry I'm sorry,' she whispered as a solitary tear slid down her cheek. She wiped it away quickly but he had already seen. She stood by the sink, looking awfully young and afraid like the 18 year old version of herself he remembered from his story book. 

Her arms were wrapped around herself, as if she would fall apart if she didn't. 

He pushed his chair back, screeching loudly on the floor as he did so. He almost ran to her, and embraced her in a huge bear hug, feeling her warmth and comfort spread over him. He felt her arms wrap around his back tightly, sealing them together, pressing him to her as if she never wanted to let go.

'Its going to be okay Mom,' he whispered, nuzzling her neck, and hugging her even tighter, attempting to snuff out all the sadness. 

'I love you, my little prince,' she replied softly, rubbing his hair gently with one delicate hand.

'I love you too,' he mumbled, wishing that he'd said that more often. 

Still holding her, he looked up, into her face, so young yet so old, and full of the pain that only time causes. 

'I can still call Mary Margaret you know, or Emma. I'm sure they'd be more than happy to help.'

'No Henry, it's okay,' the brunette replied, a fragile smile on her face as she registered his concern for her. 'You don't have to worry about me,' she added, and a few extra worry lines appeared on her face once more.

'Promise me you'll get some rest and stop worrying,' the boy pleaded, looking deeply into his mothers tired eyes. 

'Henry, I-'

'Please Mom.'

'Ill try,' she replied, a small sad smile on her face as she pulled him back in tight for another long hug. He held her back, wishing he could something to help. He was already working at Gold's shop- he didn't know what else to do. 

'Now young man,' she said, pushing him back, a new, brave smile on her face as she spoke. 'You'd best be getting to school. I'll call Mary Margaret myself.'

'Do you promise?' Henry asked imploringly.

'Yes, now get to school!' She said as she stepped back from his arms, gently pushing him in the direction of the door.

'Okay,' Henry called, reluctantly walking away from his mother and towards the door of the mayoral mansion.

'Have a good day honey,' she said, her usual mask of serene confidence now on her face as she took a bit of a crispy, red apple piece that went on her porridge, getting ready for her own day.

'You will get some rest, right mom?' The boy asked worriedly, noting his mothers change of face.

'Yes, yes,' she replied, a smile on her face only to reassure him. 

She walked up to him at the door, still clutching the half eaten apple in hand. She cupped his face in her hands and looked at him seriously.

'Don't worry about me, Henry,' she said lovingly, brushing a lock of hair from his eyes. 'The only thing you should be worrying about, is your homework okay?'

'Okay Mom,' he mumbled as he pressed a soft kiss on her cheek as a goodbye gesture. He didn't want to leave her alone, but he knew there was no way he would be allowed to stay at home. 

As he walked down the path to the road, he looked back at his mother, now in a grey cardigan, waving from the door. He only hoped they would find the author soon, and that his mom would get the happy ending she had worked so hard for. 

He wrapped his scarf round a little tighter, and headed down Mifflin street, towards school, still seeing his mothers anxious face in his mind.


End file.
